Introduction
This post continues our walk through the proposed constitution and bylaws. This series aims to draw attention to specific details in the documents and provide an opportunity for questions and feedback. See the first post in this series for more information.
Today, we will discuss the remainder of the articles in the constitution and outline the plan for discussing the bylaws. Download the proposed constitution at this link to follow along.
So far in our series, we've looked mainly at doctrinal and philosophical components of our constitution. Today, we will begin looking at sections of the constitution focused more on the structure and operation of the church.
Articles 4–7
We are going to skip over Articles 4–7 for now. We will return to cover these topics when we discuss their corresponding section of the bylaws. For now, all that is significant to note is that the constitution spells out our underlying position on these issues (for example, that we are an elder-ruled church in Article 7) whereas the bylaws articulate how we will walk those convictions out in the daily life of the church.
Articles 8–11
Article 8 addresses indemnification. This section is legal language to provide liability protection for individuals (such as staff or elders) when fulfilling their duties as a representative of the church. This language is common in church and other non-profit constitutions.
Article 9 affirms our desire to handle disputes within the church in a God-honoring way. This article is also further fleshed out in the disciple section of the church bylaws.
Article 10 addresses issues related to property owned by the church, including how would we go about purchasing a permanent facility and what happens to our church assets in the event the church splits or closes. We are not anticipating any of these things (God preserve us from division!). This is one example of the way this constitution is written with an eye towards the future. We want this document to serve our church well for years to come and part of that process is providing guidance for situations like these.
Article 11 outlines the process for amending the constitution. Note two things. First, the constitution is not easy to amend. It should generally be a very stable and static document. But it is not infallible, therefore there are provisions for amending our constitution. Second, the one part of the constitution that can never change is Article 2, Section 1: "The foundation of this church is the Lord Jesus Christ, and its final arbiter in all its affairs is the Bible—the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments—which we believe is the Word of Almighty God." We believe the future of Sojourners church is best protected by ensuring Jesus' rule of the church through his Word remains at the center of all we do.